Container for pills and drink

ABSTRACT

An elongated container, rectangular in cross-section has a single first compartment for holding a drink, at least one second compartment, separate from the first compartment, for holding pills, and caps for separately accessing and sealing each compartment. All the compartments are linearly aligned. The container may have only two compartments, one for holding the drink and the other for holding pills, or it may have 2 or more compartments for holding pills. In the latter case, there are at least three separable sub-containers, a first sub-container for holding a liquid, and at least two second sub-containers, each for holding pills.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention relates to container for carrying pills and a drink forswallowing the pills. In particular, it relates to a container that isrectangular in cross-section, has a single sealable compartment for adrink, and one or more compartments for pills.

Many people take medicine or other types of pills at least once a day.If they are travelling or away from home, they may not have access to adrink to aid in swallowing the pills. While they could carry the pillsand drink in separate containers, containers for drinks tend to be toolarge to carry comfortably in a purse or pocket and the containers maybecome separated. Also, many containers are round in cross-section,which may present problems for example, on an airplane, where thecontainer may roll off a tray during turbulence.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

I have invented a container that will hold pills in one compartment anda drink for taking the pills in a separate compartment. The containermay have more than one compartment for the pills, so that differenttypes of pills can be separately stored and will not be mixed up, whichcreates a problem when different types of pills appear to be identical.The container is square in cross-section and will not roll, regardlessof the position it is placed in. The container is small enough to fitinto a purse, handbag, pocket, or glove compartment of a car. It may bedisposable or re-usable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in section, illustrating a certainpresently preferred embodiment of a container according to thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in section, illustrating an alternativepresently preferred embodiment of a container according to thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIGS. 1 and 2, container 1 has two separate compartments, a firstcompartment 2 in which a drink 3 is stored and a second compartment 4 inwhich pills 5 are stored. Each compartment is separately accessible bymeans of threaded caps 6 and 7, one at each end of container 1. Caps 6and 7 seal the compartments, preventing the entrance of germs andcontaminants and preventing the pills and drink from exiting. As shownin FIG. 2, when both caps are on and form a seal, container 1 is seen asa square from the end so that it will not roll. The square end view mayalso be a rectangle, but a square end is preferred. The ends of thecontainer are preferably flat, as shown in the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 3, container 8 is comprised of four separatecontainers, a single container 9 in which a drink may be stored andthree containers 10, 11, and 12 in which pills may be stored. Eachcontainer is held to the other containers by means of threads 13 at oneor both ends and may be separated from the other containers byunscrewing them. Containers 10 and 11 are identical and have threads 13at both ends, while container 12 has threads 13 at only one end. Threads13 are made so that when all the containers are screwed together andsealed, the sides of each container line up so that the end view willappear square, as shown in FIG. 2. Containers 10, 11, and 12 arepreferably of the same internal capacity, but some may be larger thanothers, if desired. Any number of sub-containers for storing pills maybe used, but preferably there are only 2 or 3 sub-containers.Preferably, the sub-containers may be written on to note the type ofdrink or pill contained therein or other information, such as whenmedicine should be taken. This may be accomplished by means of labels oran area on the surface that is roughened.

The pill containers may store any type of pill, including medicines,vitamins, supplements, breath fresheners, etc. The pills may be in theform of capsules, tablets, or other forms. The chambers for holding thepills preferably have a capacity of about 25 to about 40 ml, but may belarger or smaller if desired. The drink that is stored may be water, afruit drink, coffee, tea, or other type of drink, as desired. Thechamber for holding the drink is larger than the pill chambers andshould have a capacity sufficient to hold enough drink to enable anaverage person to take all of the pills; about 90 to about 100 ml ispreferred for the container of FIG. 1, where there is a single pillcompartment, and about 120 to about 150 ml is preferred when there aremultiple pill compartments, e.g., the container of FIG. 3. Thecontainers are preferably made of plastic, such as acrylic, as plasticsare inexpensive, light weight, and safe, but other materials such asglass, ceramic, and various metals may also be used. The containers arepreferably transparent so that their contents may be viewed withoutopening them. They may also be colored or have designs on them. Atypical container according to this invention may have widths of about ½to about 1¼ inches and be about 3 to about 6 inches long; other sizesare also contemplated. The edges of the container are preferablybeveled, as shown in the drawings.

1. An elongated container, rectangular in cross-section having (A) asingle first compartment for holding a drink; (B) at least one secondcompartment, separate from said first compartment, for holding pills;and (C) means for separately accessing and sealing each compartment,where said first and second compartment are linearly aligned:
 2. Anelongated container according to claim 1 that is made of plastic.
 3. Anelongated container according to claim 1 that is transparent.
 4. Anelongated container according to claim 1 wherein said container issquare in cross-section and has flat ends.
 5. An elongated containeraccording to claim 4 that has widths of about ½ inches to about 1½inches wide and about 3 to about 6 inches long.
 6. An elongatedcontainer according to claim 1 wherein said means are screw on caps. 7.An elongated container according to claim 1 wherein the edges of saidcontainer are beveled.
 8. An elongated container according to claim 1wherein said elongated container can be written on.
 9. An elongatedcontainer according to claim 1 wherein said container has a singlesecond compartment.
 10. An elongated container according to claim 9wherein the capacity of said first compartment is about 25 to about 40ml and the capacity of said second compartment is about 90 to about 100ml.
 11. An elongated container according to claim 9 wherein means forsealing said compartments is a threaded cap on each end of saidelongated container.
 12. An elongated container according to claim 1wherein said elongated container comprises at least three separablesub-containers, each forming a compartment, a first sub-container forholding a liquid, and at least two second sub-containers, each forholding pills.
 13. An elongated container according to claim 12 having 2or 3 second sub-containers.
 14. An elongated container according toclaim 12 wherein the capacity of said first sub-container is about 120to about 150 ml and the capacity of each of said second sub-containersis about 25 to about 40 ml.
 15. An elongated container according toclaim 12 wherein one of said sub-containers screws into said firstsubcontainer and said second sub-containers screw into othersub-containers.
 16. A method of taking pills comprising opening saidfirst compartment of a container according to claim 1 and placing adrink therein, opening at least one second compartment and placing pillstherein, removing at least one pill from at least one secondcompartment, opening said first compartment, and swallowing said atleast one pill with said drink.
 17. An elongated container, square incross-section, having (A) a single first compartment for holding adrink; (B) a single second compartment, separate from said firstcompartment but attached thereto, for holding pills; and (C) a capthreadedly attached to each end of said elongated container, forseparately accessing and sealing said first and second compartments,where said first and second compartments are linearly aligned.
 18. Anelongated container according to claim 17 wherein the capacity of saidfirst compartment is about 90 to about 100 ml and the capacity of saidsecond compartment is about 25 to about 40 ml.
 19. An elongatedcontainer, square in cross-section, comprising at least threesub-containers, a first subcontainer for holding a drink, having athreadedly attached cap at one end, and at least two secondsubcontainers, each for holding pills, where one of said secondsub-containers screws into said first sub-container and the remainingsecond sub-containers screw into other sub-containers.
 20. An elongatedcontainer according to claim 19 wherein the capacity of said firstcompartment is about 120 to about 150 ml and the capacity of said secondcompartment is about 25 to about 40 ml.